Firing mechanism for high rate of fire revolving battery gun

ABSTRACT

A Gatling gun has a stationary housing with a single-mainspring cocking and firing assembly, and a rotor assembly having a plurality of gun barrels, respective bolts with firing pins and a rotating cocking and firing control cam. The rotating cam compresses and releases the mainspring to activate the firing pin independently of the translation of the bolt, which bolt is activated by the conventional stationary housing cam.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Anthony J. Aloi 698,472 4/1902 Driggs 89/12 Burlington, Vt. 2,849,921 9/1958 Otto 89/12 [21] Appl. No. 879,277 3,342,105 9/1967 Fagerstrom 89/12 {22] Filed Nov. 24, 1969 3,380,343 4/1968 Chiabrandy 89/12 [45] Patented Sept. 7, 1971 y mary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle [73] Ass'gnee General Elem Company Attorneys-Bailin L. Kuch, lrving M Freedman, Harry C.

Burgess, Frank L. Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph [54] FIRING MECHANISM FOR HIGH RATE OF FIRE Forman REVOLVING BATTERY GUN 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 89/12,

. 89/27 ABSTRACT: A Gatling gun has a stationary housing with a [51] Int. Cl F4ld 7/04 single-mainspring cocking and firing assembly, and a rotor asl l Field of Search sembly having a plurality of gun barrels, respective bolts with 27 firing pins and a rotating cocking and firing control cam. The rotating cam compresses and releases the mainspring to ac- [56] References Clted tivate the firing pin independently of the translation of the NITED STATES PATENTS bolt, which bolt is activated by the conventional stationary 89/ 1 2 housing cam.

502,185 7/1893 Gatling PATENTEU SEP H971 3.603.201

INVENTOR ANTHONY J. ALOI BY ZW HIS ATTORNEY.

FIRING MECHANISM FOR HIGH RATE OF FIRE REVOLVING BATTERY GUN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Art This invention relates to an improved cocking and firing mechanism for an automatic weapon having a plurality of barrels mounted for rotation about a common axis, popularly known as a Gatling gun.

2. Prior Art The earlier Gatling guns comprised a housing enclosing and supporting a rotor assembly; the rotor assembly in turn supporting a plurality of barrels. A mainspring was customarily disposed in each cartridge-carrying bolt assembly to inpulse a respective firing pin, irrespective of whether percussion or electrically fired ammunition was used. An early percussionfil'ed gun is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 125,563, issued Apr. 9, 1872 to R. J. Gatling. A more recent electrically fired gun is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,921, issued Sept. 2, 1958 to H. McC. Otto.

A yet more recent Gatling gun, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.

3,380,343, issued Apr. 30, 1968 to R. E. Chiabrandy et al.,

utilizes a single mainspring mounted externally of the bolt assemblies. Each of the bolts is mounted in the rotor and follows transversely and longitudinally a stationary cam on the housing. As the bolt is cammed forward by said housing cam to lock a cartridge, a lateral projection on its hammer engages and cams a lever system to initially compress the mainspring, and when the cartridge is locked, to release the compressed mainspring to drive, by means of said lateral projection, the firing pin forward into the primer of the cartridge. Thereafter, a retractor spring on the firing pin functions to withdraw the firing pin. It will be seen that cocking and firing the firing pin is a function of the longitudinal translation of the bolt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an improved firing mechanism for a, Gatling-type gun having lower and more uniform starting and operating torque requirements and deeper primer penetration for a given size mainspring.

A feature of-this invention is the provision of a Gatling gun having a stationary housing with a single mainspring cocking and firing assembly thereon, and a rotor assembly having a plurality of gun barrels, respective bolts with firing pins and a rotating cocking and firing control cam. The rotating cam compresses and releases the mainspring to actuate the firing pin independently of the translation of the bolt, which bolt is actuated by the conventional stationary housing cam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which;

FIG. 1 is partial view in longitudinal cross section of a Gatling gun incorporating a cocking and firing mechanism embodying this invention; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cocking and firing mechanism of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The cocking and firing mechanism embodying this invention, is designed to be incorporated in. a Gatling gun of the type shown in U.S. Pat, No. 3,380,343, supra, to which recourse should be had for details not herein described.

The gun includes a stationaryhousinglO in whicha rotor 12 is journaled for rotation. about a longitudinal, axisc-c- The forwardbearing 14 is shown in FIG. 1 as having its inner race captured. to the rotorbetween a shoulder 16 and a retaining ring, -18 -A plurality of gun barrels 20, in this embodiment three in number are respectively mounted in. three longitudinal bores 22 in the rotor by means ofinterrupted threads 24. The aft'end of the bore 26 of each barrel is enlarged to form a chamber 28 adapted to receive a cartridge 30.

Three bolt assemblies 32 are respectively mounted in align ment with the rotor bores 22; the bolt shown in FIG. I being in its forwardmost, locked disposition. The bolt assembly includes an elongated body 40 having a longitudinal bore 42, a medial, diametral slot 44, a bore 46, a slot 48, and a hole 50. A cam follower 52 is captured on a spindle 54 which is disposed through the bore 46. An antifriction follower 56 is disposed in the slot 48 and is journaled on the spindle 54. The spindle is retained in the bore 46 by a pair of cross-pin guides 58 which I are disposed into the hole 50. A hammer assembly is disposed in the bolt assembly and has a body portion 60 disposed in the slot 44, with a hammerhead 47 projecting radially outwardly, and a tail portion 64 extending longitudinally rearwardly. A return spring 66 is captured on a firing pin 62 disposed between the hammer body 60 and a bored, threaded bolt face fitting 68. A pair of extractor rim gripping lugs 70 project forwardly from the body 40; and a pair of locking lugs 71 and a pair of forward guides 73 project laterally from the body. A cam lug 72 projects upwardly from the body. The cam lug 72 has an upper cam following surface 74 which serves to depress the forward end of the bolt, as shown in FIG. 1, to disengage the pair of extractor lugs 70 from the extractor rim of the cartridge 30 and to engage the locking lugs 71 with locking shoulders, not shown, in the bore 22. The lug 72 has a lower cam following surface 76 which serves to lift the forward end of the bolt upwardly to engage the pair of lugs 70 with the cartridge extractor rim. Longitudinal movement of the bolt is controlled by the follower 52 riding in a cam slot, not shown, in the main housing, and guided by the pair of cross-pin guides 58 and the pair of forward guides 73 riding in a slot 78 of a trackway and the forward portion of bolt and follower 56 riding in the trackway.

The cocking and firing assembly includes an annular cam 80 having a plurality of ramp surfaces 82, one for each bolt. The cam 80 is fixed to the rotor 12 by a plurality of pins 84. A spring assembly includes a cover plate 86 which is releasably mounted to the housing 10 by two side catches, not shown, and has two upstanding knuckles 88. An L-shaped lever 90 is disposed between the knuckles and pivoted thereto by a pin 91 through the elbow 92. The short leg 94 of the lever extends through a slot 96 in the cover into the gun. The long leg 98 of the lever is releasably secured to the housing by a catch, not shown, passing through a cross-hole 100. The cover has a longitudinal bore 102 therethrough, in which a cam follower 104 is disposed. The follower has a nose 106, an aft blind bore 108 whichhas a partial lateral opening 110 and a snapring slot 112, and adownwardly extending lug 113. A helical compression spring 114 is disposed in the bore, has a poppet 116 at its aft end, and is captured between the forward face of the bore and a c-shaped snapring 118 disposed in the slot 112. When the lever leg 98 is latched to the housing, the short leg 94 passes through the opening 110, into the bore 108, against the poppet 116. Thus the spring 114 is adapted to be compressed between the cam 80 and the lever short leg 94. The inner side of the cover has a cam surface 120 adapted to gradually drive the cam follower surface 74 downwardly so as to cam the bolt into a locked position. An unlocking cam, not shown, is disposed within the housing and has a tang which is adapted to engage the cam following surface 76 on the lug 72 to gradually drive this surface upwardly, thereby unlocking the bolt. Maximum forward movement of the follower is limited by mu tually abutting surfaces 121 on the cover bore and 122 on the follower. Each cam surface 82 has a dwell portion 82a, which does not engage the follower due to the follower being halted by the surface 121, a ramp portion 82b, which gradually forces the follower back, compressing the spring against the short leg 94, and a sharp drop 82c, which releases the follower.

In operation, the rotor 12 rotates in the direction A, and the cam follower 52 advances the bolt longitudinally forward with a cartridge 30 held on the extractor lugs 70 to chamber the cartridge in the chamber 28. As the cartridge approaches the fully chambered position the cover cam surface 120 depresses the cam follower surface 74, tilting the forward end of the bolt downwardly, disengaging the extractor lugs 70 from the cartridge and engaging the locking lugs 71 with the locking shoulders in the bore. Meanwhile the cam surface 82b rides against the cam follower nose 106, compressing the spring 114 against the lever short leg 94. After the bolt is fully locked, the cam follower nose rides off the drop 82c and is accelerated forward by the spring, carrying with it the lug 113. The lug strikes the hammer 47, which drives the firing pin forward against the bias of the retractor spring 66, to indent the base of the cartridge, firing the round. Forward movement of the nose is halted by the stop surface 121 on the cover. The retractor spring 66 retracts the firing pin. As the rotor continues its constant rotation, the unlocking lug on the housing rides under and lifts the cam follower surface 76 tilting the forward end of the bolt upwardly, reengaging the extractor lugs 70 with the cartridge and disengaging the locking lugs from the locking shoulder in the bore. The cam follower 52 retracts the bolt longitudinally rearward for subsequent ejection of the cartridge case and receipt of a fresh round.

To render the gun safe, the lever long leg 98 need merely be unlatched and pivoted out, therebyswinging the short leg 94 out of abutment with the poppet 116, thereby precluding compression of the spring 114.

What is claimed is:

1. A cocking and firing assembly for a multibarrel, high rate of fire automatic gun, said gun having a stationary housing, a rotor assembly including a plurality of barrels, respective bolt guideways, and respective bolts, with moveable firing pins, disposed in said guideways, said assembly comprising:

an annular cam fixed on said rotor assembly and having a like plurality of camming ramp surfaces;

a plunger mounted to said housing and adapted to ride on said annular cam;

spring means mounted to said housing for biasing said plunger against said annular cam;

whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger aft against said spring means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven forward by said spring means and hammers said firing pin.

2. A cocking and firing assembly for a multibarrel, high rate of fire automatic gun, said gun having a stationary housing, a rotor assembly including a plurality of barrels, respective bolt guideways, and respective bolts, with moveable firing pins, disposed in said guideways, said assembly comprising:

an annular cam fixed on said rotor assembly and having a like plurality ofcamming ramp surfaces;

a plunger mounted to said housing and adapted to ride on said annular cam;

spring means, having a forward and an aft end, mounted to said housing, said forward end for biasing said plunger against said annular cam;

abutment means mounted to said housing for restraining said aft end of said spring means;

whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger aft against and compresses said spring means against said abutment means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven forward by said spring means and hammers said firing pin.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein said abutment means has a first alternative position whereat it restrains said spring means for compression, and a second alternative position whereat it clears said spring means thereby precluding compression of said spring means and subsequent hammering of said firing pin.

4. A multibarrel, high rate of fire, automatic gun comprisa housing having a cam groove on an internal peripheral surface thereof;

a rotor assembly journalcd longitudinally coaxially within said housing for relative rotation therewith, said rotor assembly including a rotor body;

a plurality of longitudinal trackways uniformally circumferentially spaced about the periphery of said rotor body;

a like plurality of barrel receiving ports in the forward end of said rotor body respectively and aligned with said trackways;

a like plurality of bolt assemblies respectively disposed in said trackways; I

an annular cam having a like plurality of camming ramp surfaces;

each of said bolt assemblies including:

a bolt body a cam follower extending from said bolt body into said housing cam groove for longitudinally traversing said bolt assembly during rotation of said rotor assembly,

a hammer carried by said body and having a radially extending projection, and

a firing pin carried by said body;

said housing further including a guide means disposed on said internal peripheral surface of said housing,

a plunger disposed for longitudinal movement in said guide means and having a cam follower adapted to follow said rotor cam ramp surface, and a radially extending projection adapted to engage said hammer radially extending projection,

spring means for biasing said plunger against said rotor cam ramp surfaces,

whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger against said spring means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven by said spring means, while said radially extruding projeC- tions mutually engage, to drive said hammer and thereby said firing pin toward said barrel receiving port.

5. A multibarrel, high rate of fire, automatic gun comprisa housing having a cam groove on an internal peripheral surface thereof; a rotor assembly journaled longitudinally coaxially within said housing for relative rotation therewith, said rotor assembly including a rotor body;

a plurality of longitudinal trackways uniformally circumferentially spaced about the periphery of said rotor body;

a like plurality of barrel-receiving ports in the forward end of said rotor body respectively and aligned with said trackways,

a like plurality of bolt assemblies respectively disposed in said trackways;

an annular cam having a like plurality of camming ramp surfaces;

each of said bolt assemblies including:

a bolt body a cam follower extending from said bolt body into said housing cam groove for longitudinally traversing said bolt assembly during rotation of said rotor assembly,

a hammer carried by said body and having a radially extending projection,

a firing pin carried by said body;

said housing further including a guide means disposed on said internal peripheral surface of said housing,

a plunger disposed for longitudinal movement in said guide means and having a cam follower adapted to follow said rotor cam ramp surfaces, and a radially extending projection adapted to engage said hammer radially extending projection,

spring means, having a forward and an aft end, said for ward end for biasing said plunger against said rotor cam ramp surfaces, releasable abutment means mounted to said housing for restraining said aft end of spring means; whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger against and compresses said spring means against said abutment means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven by said spring means, while said radially extruding projections mutually engage, to drive hammer and thereby said firing pin toward said barrel receiving port. 6. A gun according to claim 5 wherein: said abutment means has a selectable first alternative position whcreat it restrains said spring means for compres sion, and a second alternative position whereat it clears said spring means thereby precluding compression of said spring means and subsequent hammering of said firing pm.

7. A gun according to claim 6 wherein:

said guide means, said plunger, said spring means, and said releasable abutment means are included in a common assembly mounted in said housing by a latch means,

said abutment means being part of said latch means and disposed in said first position when said latch means is latched, and disposed in said second position when said latch means is unlatched. 

1. A cocking and firing assembly for a multibarrel, high rate of fire automatic gun, said gun having a stationary housing, a rotor assembly including a plurality of barrels, respective bolt guideways, and respective bolts, with moveable firing pins, disposed in said guideways, said assembly comprising: an annular cam fixed on said rotor assembly and having a like plurality of camming ramp surfaces; a plunger mounted to said housing and adapted to ride on said annular cam; spring means mounted to said housing for biasing said plunger against said annular cam; whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger aft against said spring means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven forward by said spring means and hammers said firing pin.
 2. A cocking and firing assembly for a multibarrel, high rate of fire automatic gun, said gun having a stationary housing, a rotor assembly including a plurality of barrels, respective bolt guideways, and respective bolts, with moveable firing pins, disposed in said guideways, said assembly comprising: an annular cam fixed on said rotor assembly and having a like plurality of Camming ramp surfaces; a plunger mounted to said housing and adapted to ride on said annular cam; spring means, having a forward and an aft end, mounted to said housing, said forward end for biasing said plunger against said annular cam; abutment means mounted to said housing for restraining said aft end of said spring means; whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger aft against and compresses said spring means against said abutment means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven forward by said spring means and hammers said firing pin.
 3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein said abutment means has a first alternative position whereat it restrains said spring means for compression, and a second alternative position whereat it clears said spring means thereby precluding compression of said spring means and subsequent hammering of said firing pin.
 4. A multibarrel, high rate of fire, automatic gun comprising: a housing having a cam groove on an internal peripheral surface thereof; a rotor assembly journaled longitudinally coaxially within said housing for relative rotation therewith, said rotor assembly including a rotor body; a plurality of longitudinal trackways uniformally circumferentially spaced about the periphery of said rotor body; a like plurality of barrel receiving ports in the forward end of said rotor body respectively and aligned with said trackways; a like plurality of bolt assemblies respectively disposed in said trackways; an annular cam having a like plurality of camming ramp surfaces; each of said bolt assemblies including: a bolt body a cam follower extending from said bolt body into said housing cam groove for longitudinally traversing said bolt assembly during rotation of said rotor assembly, a hammer carried by said body and having a radially extending projection, and a firing pin carried by said body; said housing further including a guide means disposed on said internal peripheral surface of said housing, a plunger disposed for longitudinal movement in said guide means and having a cam follower adapted to follow said rotor cam ramp surface, and a radially extending projection adapted to engage said hammer radially extending projection, spring means for biasing said plunger against said rotor cam ramp surfaces, whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger against said spring means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven by said spring means, while said radially extruding projections mutually engage, to drive said hammer and thereby said firing pin toward said barrel-receiving port.
 5. A multibarrel, high rate of fire, automatic gun comprising; a housing having a cam groove on an internal peripheral surface thereof; a rotor assembly journaled longitudinally coaxially within said housing for relative rotation therewith, said rotor assembly including a rotor body; a plurality of longitudinal trackways uniformally circumferentially spaced about the periphery of said rotor body; a like plurality of barrel-receiving ports in the forward end of said rotor body respectively and aligned with said trackways, a like plurality of bolt assemblies respectively disposed in said trackways; an annular cam having a like plurality of camming ramp surfaces; each of said bolt assemblies including: a bolt body a cam follower extending from said bolt body into said housing cam groove for longitudinally traversing said bolt assembly during rotation of said rotor assembly, a hammer carried by said body and having a radially extending projection, a firing pin carried by said body; said housing further including a guide means disposed on said internal peripheral surface of said housing, a plunGer disposed for longitudinal movement in said guide means and having a cam follower adapted to follow said rotor cam ramp surfaces, and a radially extending projection adapted to engage said hammer radially extending projection, spring means, having a forward and an aft end, said forward end for biasing said plunger against said rotor cam ramp surfaces, releasable abutment means mounted to said housing for restraining said aft end of spring means; whereby as said rotor assembly rotates, each cam ramp surface in sequence initially progressively drives said plunger against and compresses said spring means against said abutment means and subsequently releases said plunger which is then driven by said spring means, while said radially extruding projections mutually engage, to drive hammer and thereby said firing pin toward said barrel receiving port.
 6. A gun according to claim 5 wherein: said abutment means has a selectable first alternative position whereat it restrains said spring means for compression, and a second alternative position whereat it clears said spring means thereby precluding compression of said spring means and subsequent hammering of said firing pin.
 7. A gun according to claim 6 wherein: said guide means, said plunger, said spring means, and said releasable abutment means are included in a common assembly mounted in said housing by a latch means, said abutment means being part of said latch means and disposed in said first position when said latch means is latched, and disposed in said second position when said latch means is unlatched. 